Internal-combustion engine



July 5 1927. 1,634,681

F. J. OAKES INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 21. 1926- Jaz I GNK OeKE Patented July 5, 1927.

:FRAN-K J. oAKns, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA-5 i i,

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

' Application filed May 21, 1926. SeralNo. 110,655.

My invention relates to internal'combustion engines of the four cycle type, and more particularly to automobile engines, the firing and gaseous-control of which are actuated by spur gearing` driven by the main engine shaft, usually known to those familiar with the art as the crank shaft; and consists substantially in the Construction,combination and arrangement `of parts hereinafter set forth and pointed out more particularly in the claims.

An object of my invention is to provide an efcient and simple means for lubricating and muliling the working noises of spur gearing orthe equivalent, which actuates 'the tiring and gaseous control ot' explosive engines, and more especially in connection with automotive engines.

It is an important object ot my invention to incase the usual timing and ignition gears of such engine in an oil-tight housing and constantly introduce lubricating oil under pressure in said housing during operation of same. there being an escape valve provided to release such oil as the hydraulic pressure of same reaches a certain number of pounds per square inch.

It is a primary object of my invention to carry into practice, an engine of this class` lubricated in the above manner, in which the conventional engine gear housing is modilied to serve as the oil-tight gear housing; in which the oil is supplied to said housing under pressure by conduit communication of same with the regular overflow of a standard force feed Aautomobileengine lubricating pump; andfin whichthe discharge of the escape valve is directed to the regular oil reservoir of such engine.`

It is a further object of my invention to provide a mechanism of this class in which oil thus supplied under pressure to the regular engine gear housing,is introduced at the departing interceptions of the timing or ignition gears and emitted atthe approaching interceptions thereof, by'which thev incidental pumpingA tendency of same is favorable to the natural movement of the oil pumped otherwise, thru said housing. It is also an object of my invention to provide an invention of this class in which the oil escapement valve may be manually adjusted to allow the pressure introduced oil to escape from the timing gear housing at a ldifferent pound pressure per squarejinch,

as desired, according to the requirements,

vThe above and other objects are atttained by ,the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichzthe ligure is partly a front end clevation and partly ra fragmentary sectional view-of a typical automobile engine, and serves to somewhat pictorially and somewhat diagrammatically represent the invention. i

.Similar characters of reference designatey similar parts thruout the several vlews. Re-

ferring tothe figure, 'the numeral 1V designates the crankcase or frame portion of a typical automobile explosive engine, with which my invention is embodied, and upon the upper portion of which is formed a cylin- ,der means 2. The cover 3 is secured over` the upper termination of said cylinder means l and serves as *ya typical cylinder head therefor. The engine shown is of the conventional cast in block type.

The crank shaft 4 is revolvably mounted in the crank case 1 by means of the journals 5, being held in this relation lby the bearing cap means G. Ordinary pistons 7 are slidably disposed within the cylindermeans 2,-

in the usual way, and each of said pistons is connected to its respective crank arm 8, of; the crank shaft 4, as will be understood by those familiar with the art.

Conventional poppet valve stems 9L arel slidably disposed in connection with the gaseous passageslO, which are integrally included as a part of the cylinder means The push rod guides 11 are carried by the crank case 1 in regular alinement with the valve stems 9. The push rods-12 are slidably disposed within said push rod guides.`

The upper ends of said guides embrace the lower ends of the va'lve stems 9, respectively, in customary end-to-end relationship and the lower end of said pushY rod, rides on the cam 13 of the cam shaft 14, and is operated thereby.v "j The spring seats 15 are secured to the guide in opposition to the cam 13.

The cam shaft 14 is mounted in the crank f Fill lower portion'pf the valve stems 9'in encircllng manner and the expansion coil springsr ber of teeth k19 as the crank shaft gear has teethv 20, is correspondinglygeared down and` adapted'torotate onerevolution to two revolutions of saidlcrankshaft gear, in accordance/with theusual anfdknown princiles of four cycleV combustion engines.

i The electricalge`nerator`21 mounted onk the crank. case 1, is driven by the accessory drive l gear 22, which in turn is driven by the Cam shaft gear 17 with which said accessory drive gear is disposed inmeshed relation. The generator 21 is used to supply the electrical ignition current for'the spark plugs A 23, threaded thru the cylinder 'cover 3, sons to extend slightly into the cylinder means 2,.

by which arrangement said spark plugs serve -as a tiring means for the engine. It is undei'stood, however, that'a water pump such as is ordinarily used in cpoliiig water cooled engines, may be driven by the accessory vgear 22,'in'place of the generator 21 and that any other such auxiliary engine4 accessory .may be likewise driven.

A usual oil reservoir 2-il is secured to the lower side of the crank case 1, serving as a lubricating oil container or reservoir for feeding the lubricatingoil pump 25, as will be understood.

I have provided an oil tight gear housing 26 which incases the gears 17, 18, and 22, allowing the customary clearances between the housing walls and said gears.

l have observed in different automotive combustion engines, the. embodiment of 'force feed oil pumps of different styles, which comprise a somewhat. auxiliary "mechanism to the engine proper and operate by a norf inally moving part of suchengine, usually the crank shaft or cam shaft. yIn instances where such arrangement is carriedV out, one such pump is usually provided to' each engine in such a manner that during the'normal operation of theineclianisin as a whole, oil is pumped from an oil reservoir such as 24:'. thru tributaries tothe 'various'lubricated a'itsof thekv engine.

'During the o'peratipn of the mechanism shoiviuoil isV forced by 'means of the fp'uinp 25'tothe lubricated parts ofthe engine." The `inlet 27 of said,pump is fed from the oil 28, held bythe reseryoir2l, said inlet Y v beingzconveniently submerged in said oil. The zutgo of oil thus pumped s directed from said pump by means of the outlet conduit 29, which extends to the crank shaft journals 5 and by tributaries 30, tothe cam shaft bear- VVings .31, as well as to other parts of the engine usually lubricated in such manner.

ln most instances where force feed hihi-ication is used .inv connection with automotive engines, it is thought best to'provide an oil pumping ineans of substantially greater capacity than would be actually required to supply oil for the particular lubricating purposes. I understand that this plan is adhere-d to,to make sure that the lubricated parts are at all times amply supplied with plenty of koil. lt isl very essential, however, when such plan is carried out, to provide in connection with the outlet of the oilpump, an overflow, or surplus flow to allow a sonicwhat restricted means of releasing the over supply of oil thus pumped, and directing saine back to the oil reservoir. lilith this in mind, 'at a point along-the outlet conduit 29, preferablybetween the pump 25 and said branch tributaries, such as 250, I have. providedthe overflow conduit 32 in communication with said outletcone duit. i

Said overflow conduit leads thru the cover wall 83 of the oil collecting chamber 34, which is position-ed upwardly in relation to the gear housing 26; At a medial height along the vertical walls 35 thereof, .tliedrain conduit 36 communicates with the interior of said chamber and leads into the gear housing 2G at the housing inlet 37, a corresponding housing outlet 38 being provided to permit oil which enters thru the. inlet 37, to escape.

The chamber 34 serves as a temporary storage for oil 39, in which a head of oil accumulates during the operation of the engine, which somewhat gradually drains into said gear housing. By this arrangement, during the stopping, starting or faltering of the engine mechanism, oil is thus supplied from said chamber by force of gravity lto said gear housing, although under most running operations, the oil is forced thru said chamber by means of hydraulic pressure created by the oil pump 25.

It is also understood, however, that the chamber 34 serves as a cesspool in the bottom of which dirt or foreign particles, unintentionally carried iii the oil passing thru same, may settle and be extracted from time to ,time by removal ofthe chamber plug 40, which is threaded in at a lower point of said chamber. Y i i As will be understood by those familiar vwith so called gear pumps?, thegears 17,

18 and 22 will incidentallyinfluence Voil thus directedthru said housing in gear pump manner,'and while I do not depend' upon this to actually boost the circulation of oil thru said housing, it is preferable that the inlet STa'nd outlet 38 be located in such relation to the said'gears, asV to operate in accordance with the pumping tendency of same, by which arrangement the normal operationfof said gears will at least in no way impede the intended movement 'of oil thru the housing 26 between the inlet 37 and the outlet 38. IVith this in mind, lI have located-the inlet 37 so as to discharge-into the departing interception of the cam shaft gear 17 and the accessory drive gear 22. The outlet 38 is correspondingly located at the approaching interception of the crank shaft gear 18and the cam shaft gear 17. As will be understood by those familiar with rthe art, this arrangement is favorable to the natural pumping tendency of said gears.l YIn furtherance of this plan, I have also provided an inter-communication 41, between the approaching interception of said cam shaft gear andthe accessory shaft gear 22; and the departing interception of said crank shaft gear and said cam shaft gear. By this concerted arrangement, oil introduced into the housing 26 may reach the outlet 38 by paths consistent with thc pumping action ot said gears, or may find its way between the sides of same, and the adjacent side walls of said housing.

It is preferable to keep oil thus conveyed thru said housing, under slight hydraulic pressureand for that reason, I have provided a spring operated escape valve 42, which is automatically opened by the outrush of oil thru said outlet. In this particular example of my invention I have provided a ball valve, similar in operation to a ball type check valve. The valve housing 43 is conveniently formed integ'ally with the gearhousing 26.' The ball 44V is disposed within said housing with suitable side clearance. rl`he spring 45tends to keep said ball in contact with the ball seat 46, in direct opposition to the'movement of 'oil passing from the outlet 38 thru said valve housing. It will therefore be understood thatthe spring 45 is of such proportions as to allow escapementl of oil from the said gear housing in response to the desired pressure within saine. In order, however', to vary the working effect of said spring, an adjustable seat is provided fol]`v the normally fixed end of same, in the mailer of a screw 46, which is threaded thru the valve housing 43, against said spring, being thus opposed to the ball seat 46, in relation to said spring, which is tensioned between the ball 44 and the nose of said screw. Said screw is preferably provided with a manually operated head 47, by which arrangement the working tension of said spring may be readily changed as desired, whether the apparatus is in operation or not. A conventional packing gland 48 encircles said screw in conventional manner, and being threaded into ployed in carrying my invention intoV effect,y

it is evident that many modihcations may be made in the various details, without departing from the scope of the appended claims,

it being understood that my invention is not restricted to the particular form herein described.

I claim as myinvention: VV LIn explosive engines employing aV main gear and a pair of auxiliary gears associated therewith and a substantially oil tight casing to contain same, a means serving to introduce oil intov said casing under pressure; an escape `Valve serving to automatically release such oil -as the hydraulic pressure of same reaches a predetermined pressure per square inch, for supplying oil around said gears at a substantially uniform pressure; the oil entrance in said casing from said introducing means being opposite the departing interception of the main andone ofv said auxiliary gears; and the oil outlet from said casing'to said'escape valve being opposite'the approaching interception of the main gear and the other of said auxiliary gears, whereby the movement of oil thru said casing willbe accelerated by the pumping action of saidgears.'

2.In explosive engines embodyinga substantially vertically disposed driving gear, a timing gear meshing therewith and in a plane substantially above said driving gear, an additional gear meshing with the timing gear and in a plane substantially above the same, a substantially oil tight casing therefor, and a means for directing, oil to the'lubricated parts of such engine, said means having an overflow to release the excess oil thus put in motion; a communication from said overflow to said casing serving to lconvey oil into same; and a restricted passage serving to automatically release such oil from said casing after it is vthus used to lubricate and muiiie the working noise of said gears, said inlet and outlet being arranged for utilizing the pumping action of said gears for accelerating the circulation of the oil through said casing.

reo

3. In explosive engines employing a cen- Y tral gear and a pair of auxiliary gears and a substantially oil tight casing to contain same; a means serving to introduce oil into said casing; a restricted passageserving to automatically release such oilv after it has thus been supplied around said gears; an oil entrance in said casing from said ,introducing means at the departing interception of the central gear and one of said auxiliary gears; andan oil outlet from said casing to said restricted passage at the approaching interception of the central gear and the other of said auxiliary gears, wherebythe movement of oil thus introduced thru said casing is circulated by the pumping action of said gears.

4. In explosive engines embodying `a central .gear and a pair of auxiliary gearsl meshing therewith, a substantially oil .tight casing therefor, an oil pump means for directing oil to the lubricated par-ts of such engine, said pump means having an overflow to release the excess oil set, in Vmotion thereby; a communication from said overflow to said casing at the departing interception of the central gear with one of said auxiliary gears serving to convey` ,oil inta said casing, for lubricating said gears, and muffling the running noises thereof; a restricted passage at the approaching interception lof the central gear and the other of said auxiliary gears serving to automatically release such oil after it has been thus supplied around said gears;and a passage from an approaching interception of said central gearand one'of said auxiliary gears to a departing interception of said central gear and the other of said auxiliary gears, whereby the `movement of oil through .said casing will be facilitated by the pumping action of said gears. Y

5. In explosive engines employing timing` gears and a substantially oil tight casing to contain saine; a means serving tointroduce oil into said casing under pressure; 'an escape valve serving to automatically release such oil as the hydraulic pressure of same reaches a predetermined pressure per square inch, for supplying oil around said gears at a substantially uniform pressure; and a cesspool means communicated between said introducing means and said casing in which settlings accumula-te for clearing the oil.

6. In explosive engines employing a crank shaft gear, cam shaft gear and accessory drive gear; and a substantially oil tight casing to containrsame; a means. serving to introduce oil into said casing under pressure; an escape valve serving toautomatically release such oil as the hydraulic pressure of same reaches a predetermined pressure per square inch, for supplying Aoil, around said gears at'a substantially uniform pressure; a means to vary the tension ,of said escape valve, by which the permitted pressure within said casing is, varied as desired; an oil entrance in said casing from said intro,- ducing means at the departing interception of thecam shaft gear andthe accessory drive gear; an oil outlet from said casing to said escape valve at the approaching interception, of the crank shaft gear and the cam shaft gear, whereby the movement of oil introduced `thru said casing bysaidl introducing means is favorable to the pump- 4ing action fof said gears; a passage from'the approachinginterception ofthe cam shaft gear and `accessory drive gear to the 'departing interception of the crank shaft gear and .the cam shafty gear, whereby the movement of oil thus introduced is still more favorable to the pumping action of said gears; and a cess-pool means conduitly disposed between said entrance and .said introducing means to receive the settlings from such oil, said cess-pool means affording accessibility to said settlings for removingy same whenrdesired.

7. VIn explosive engines .embodying timing gears, a substantially oil tight casing therefor, and, a means for directing oil to the lubricated parts kof such engine, said means having an overflow to release the eX- cess oil thus put in motion; a communication vfrom said overflow to said casing serving to convey oil into same; a restricted passage serving to automatically release such oil from caid casing after it is thus used to lubricate and muffle the working noise of said gears; a cess-pool means serving to communicate said directing means With said casing, to retain the settlings from such oil; and a closable drainage serving to relieve said cess-pool of settlings as desired.

Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on this the 11th day of May, 1926, A. D.

' FRANK J. oAKEs. 

